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Polish president turns back from Senegal trip as top court chief suspended

By Thomson Reuters Oct 30, 2026 | 1:18 PM

WARSAW, Oct 30 (Reuters) – Polish President Karol Nawrocki turned back his plane en route ​to Senegal on Friday ‌after police entered the premises of Poland’s top court and its president was suspended.

“At a moment like this, ‌the ​President must be ⁠in Poland. I ⁠am cutting short my flight to Senegal. I am returning,” he said on X.

Police said ​officers entered the premises of the Constitutional Tribunal after ⁠incidents outside the ⁠court, including the throwing ​of dangerous objects at police.

The ​tribunal said on its website that ‌the court’s president, Bogdan Swieczkowski, had been suspended on Friday.

A long-running political dispute over ⁠the Constitutional Tribunal has effectively paralysed the institution.

Earlier this year, Nawrocki, an ally ⁠of ‌Poland’s former nationalist government, ⁠refused to swear in ​three ‌of six judges nominated ​by parliament, ⁠while Swieczkowski declined to allow judges elected by the current parliamentary majority to assume their duties.

(Reporting by Marek StrzeleckiEditing by ​Ros Russell)